woodfoed



2 Sheets-Sheet '1.

(No Model.)

G. A WOODFORD.

HAY TEDDER.

No. 301,345. Patented July 8, 1884.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2..

G. A. WOODFORD.

HAY TEDDER. v

No. 301,845. Patented July 8, 1884..

aeazye'%%qifqrd 4 N. PETEIPs Hmwumo m her. Washington. 0,0.

N'ITED STAT PATENT OFFICE.

' GEQRGE A. VVOODFORD, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO CORNELIA WOODFORD AND THOS. N.

REYNOLDS, or saME PLACE. I

HAY -T EDDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 301,845, dated July 8,1884. Application filed March 24, 1884. (No niodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE A. WOODFORD, of Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented new and useful 5 Improvements in Hay-Tedders; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which rear. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the front lower end of oneof the fork-arms. Fig. 4 is a side view of the gearing for operating the forks, and Fig. 5 is a section on line 3/ Fig. 4.

A represents an axle, upon each end of which is journaled a traction-wheel, B, provided with a ratcheted hub, O, of any of the known constructions, (not-showm) which will compel the axle to rotate in the forward movement of the wheels,.and will allow it to remain stationary in a rearward movement of said wheels. By means of suitable boxes the frame D is secured to said axle in such a' manner as to allow the axle to rotate in the boxes. To each of the side bars of this frame there is secured a standard, E, and in the upper ends of these standards is secured the guide-rod F, the function of which will be hereinafter described.

Between the two central fore-and-aft bars of the frame thereis secured upon the axle a spurwheel, G, which engages with a pinion, H, turning upon a rock-shaft, "H, adapted to be rocked in boxes secured to-the lower sides of said central bars; and upon this same rockshaft is carried a spur-wheel, I,which engages with the pinion J upon the crank-shaft K, which runs in boxes secured at the rear ends of the fore-andaft bars of the frame. The wheel I is connected to the pinion H. Preferably they should be cast together, as shown 50 in Fig. 5. It will be observed that the rocksame motion to the forks as is given by the shaft H is provided with an eccentric, J, up on which the pinion II and gear-wheel I rotate eccentric to the axis of the shaft. As this shaft is rocked by the movement of the latchv lever N, it will be observed that the pinion H forks pick up their proportion of the hay another one is brought into action, and so on.

In order to do this, and to give very much the hands of the workman using the ordinary hand-fork, these forks are each provided with a handle or arm, L,which is secured to a box, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, each of said boxes running upon its own particular crank. The upper ends of these arms are bifurcated, as shown, and embrace the rod F, which. acts as a guide and leverage rod, and compels the forks to describe the same motion as though they were being used by hand in picking up and throwing the hay into the air. Through the lower end of each of these arms is inserted a pin, a, upon which are coiled two spiral springs of the fork M, the portion which connects the two spirals embracing the front of the arm, and secured to it by a staple, b, or other suitable device, while the free ends of the springs form the fork. The great elasticity wheels H I rotate, in order to throw the pinmo ion H into or out of gear with the spurwheel G, at the will of the operator upon the seat P, as hereinbefore described.

R is a draft-frame, the rear ends of which are, by means of suitable boxes and straps, S, sleeved upon the axle A, and to this latter frame the draft is applied through the whiffletree T and the usual hammer-link, U. To one of the cross-bars of this latter frame there is secured a slotted plate, V, through which passes the notched arm WV, the lower end of said arm being pivoted in a box, w, attached to the first=described frame D, and terminating at its upper end in a hand-hold, \V, so that the tilting of the lower frame which carries the forks is obtained by pushing forward and down upon this arm and engaging one of its notches with a bolt, 0, which passes through the rear end of the slotted plate, a spring, w, attached to said box and bearing on the notched arm WV, serving to keep it in engagement with the bolt 0. By disengaging this arm and drawing up upon it, the position of the lower frame may be adjusted. The object of this tilting is to raise the forks by tilting the forward end of the frame down, so that the device can be driven from one point to another without damage.

Vhat I claim as my invention is- 1. In a hay-tedder, a solid revolving axle, A, a spur-wheel, G, secured thereon, the rockshaft H, having the eccentric-bearing J, a pinion, H, rotating on said bearing J, and adapted to engage with said wheel G, the spur-wheel I, also carried by said eccentricbcaring J, and the crank-shaft K, provided with the pinion J, engaging with said wheel I, substantially as and for the purpose specified. 2. In a hay-tedder, the combination of the crank-shaft K, provided with a pinion, the driving-axle A, having a gear-wheel, the eccentric J, the intermediate gearing carried by said eccentric, the lever N, and connectingrod 0, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. In a hay-tedder, the combination, with the draft-frame R, main frame D, fork-arms, and driving mechanism supported by said main frame, of the notched arm WV, its lower end pivoted ina box, w, attached to the frame D, and its upper end terminating in a handheld, WV, slotted guide -p1ate V, secured to the frame R, bolt a, passing through the rear end of said slotted plate, and a spring, w, secured within said box, and constructed to bear against said arm WV, substantially as and Witnesses:

g H. S. SPRAGUE,

E. SoULLY. 

